Canada Votes In Decisive Election That Justin Trudeau Could Lose

Canada Elections: Justin Trudeau has a minority administration, forcing him to rely on other parties and make policy compromises to govern.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may cling to power in Monday's election but looks set to lose his bid for a parliamentary majority after a tough campaign that dashed his hopes for a convincing win.

Trudeau has a minority administration, forcing him to rely on other parties and make policy compromises to govern. With opinion polls last month showing him far ahead, he triggered the vote two years early, saying voters needed to weigh in on his left-of-center Liberal government's handling of COVID-19.

But as unhappiness about the early call grew, he failed to maintain his big lead. Liberal strategists concede it will be hard to win most of the 338 seats in the House of Commons.

In recent days, Trudeau, 49 - whose government racked up record debt fighting COVID-19 - focused on the need for everyone to get inoculated. He backs vaccine mandates, while Conservative leader Erin O'Toole, 48, prefers rapid testing.